The Problem of Personalized Faith: 2 Kings #22
This is an exposition of 2 Kings 17:24-41. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, December 11, 2016.
Intro:
We are spoiled. As a nation, as a people we’ve had it too good for too long. Like spoiled children we want what we want and woe to the one who stands in our way. A consumer mentality controls us. When a person from another country comes here and walks into a supermarket they are stunned. Overwhelmed by the variety and the shear number of choices we take for granted. I went to yellowpages.com the other day and typed in, “Tulsa restaurants” and there were 1,421 results! Yet we say, “I wish we had a .” It seems the same mentality dominates our spiritual appetites. I typed in, “Churches and places of worship” and there were 1,144. But looking beyond the number of churches you have to take into consideration the limitless number of “theologies” within our culture. Within our churches there are all kinds of beliefs. Due to the availability of teaching, books, sermons, and tracts online the average person has the whole theological world at their fingertips. Add to that the fact that the heart of man is an idol factory and you’ve got the makings for some very interesting spiritual conversations. When you factor in our tendency of independence and our stubborn determination to make our own decisions you have our current religious state – confusion!
Even within the evangelical church you will find an odd mixture of the biblical and the non-biblical. You will find Baptist doctrine with a touch of Catholicism and a dash of Eastern mysticism. Such is the fruit of a pluralistic culture. It was the same in ancient Israel. In 722 bc the Assyrian Empire brought an end to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. There were massive deportations of Israelites to various regions around the Empire. At the same time peoples from around the Empire were dropped into Israel. This mixing of cultures produced hybrid religions. That brings us to our text this evening found in 2 Kings 2 Kings 17 beginning with 2 Kings 17:24.
Text: 2 Kings 17:24-41
This is not a historical or sociological study of ancient culture it is a window into current culture. Religiously we are not all that different from Samaria seven centuries before Christ. The religious pluralism of that culture is a warning to us. Remember, Paul said these things are written for our benefit. That we might not travel that same path and experience the same judgment.
As we work our way through this text I want us to note that…
Thesis: A cobbled together faith, the result of picking and choosing according to personal taste, may soothe your conscience and provide temporary comfort but it falls short of biblical faith and ultimately damns your soul.
Why was Israel judged?
Because they did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
They did not fear Him, or obey His statutes and commandments.
They served other gods in spite of God’s gracious warnings through the prophets.
They loved God and other gods.
This is the problem of personalized faith.
I’m not saying personal faith but personalized faith. Of course of faith must be personal. You must believe for yourself. Personalized faith is a faith tailored to suit your own wants, desires and taste. It is faith on your terms. Biblically, that is not an option.
I want to make four observations from our text.
- There are those for whom faith is nothing more than a means of calming their fears and warding off pain or heartache. (17:24-28)
- For others, faith is a means of creating a god suitable to their own tastes. (17:29-33)
- Biblical faith demands total submission to the God who is and obedience to His revealed truth. (17:34-40)
- For those who reject biblical faith there is the frightening legacy of damnable religion. (17:41)